New stretch target

Any additional funding over and above the initial target will be put to great use! We are desperate for the following:

-Two sets of new extra large triple rabbit hutches for our bunnies (the extra space is better for animal welfare, and also great for allowing better access when students are mucking out).

-Concrete bases for the two field shelters we are fundraising for. Again these will be built in-house by our staff and students to make full use of any construction work experience opportunities available for those students interested!

-Fencing: we need some pretty sturdy fencing for a variety of situations. Agricultural fencing is expensive, so even if we reach our stretch target it would still only partially cover the costs of installing all the fencing we need. However, it is still a huge help. We need some boundary fencing and rail and post fencing to create a goat paddock on our field. Although fencing has obvious uses, the more aesthetically pleasing it is the more our students can feel a sense of pride in their place of education - so it has the secondary purpose of uplifting the whole look of the farm.

We source everything locally and DIY and get our students involved where ever possible! :)

Who is The Island Project?

We are a non-profit youth care farm in Derby, England. We provide vocational education and life skills to children and teenagers with complex needs such as autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, and victims of abuse. We aim to improve our students' self-esteem, social skills and job prospects for the future.

We operate on a small farm and have a variety of animals which we care for with the help of our students. We do not sell or slaughter our animals. They are here for the singluar purpose of providing informal therapy to our students. We encourage our animals to display all their natural behaviours and live a happy, healthy life.

On any given morning you will find youngsters collecting eggs, mucking out and feeding the various animals, walking the donkeys and grooming the rabbits.

Our animals also provide a brilliant form of informal therapy. Children often find the non-judgemental affection of a warm, fluffy creature very relaxing. How could anyone not smile around Charlie the donkey here:

What will we use the money for and why?

We need a variety of bits 'n' bobs to bring our animal welfare up to an exceptional standard. We always encourage students to get hands on and help us with the installation of new equipment. Helping out around the farm in this way helps to give them ownership of the site and gives a huge sense of pride. Win-win!

We need the following:

-2 field shelters. We are only asking for the raw materials. The shelters will be made in-house by our site handyman to keep costs extremely low (at least half the price of a ready-made version). We might even get some of our older students to help out where appropriate! For students who are learning woodwork/construction skills, this'll be a fantastic opportunity to put those skills into practice.

-An air conditioning unit for our "Animal Zone" - this is a large room where we keep some of the smaller animals. We hold lessons in there as well as informal animal therapy sessions. During the summer it gets extremely hot, which is not fair on the students and animals alike. An air conditioner will really help to make it a more pleasant learning environment.

-Plus various bits and bobs for the animals including mineral licks and head collars and leads.

PS. The amount we are fundraising for is only a fraction of the cost of upgrading our farm facilities. If we get overfunded, there are plenty more shelters we need, and bigger rabbit accomodation we wish to buy, a pig pen we want to expand, amongst many many other things. So even if we reach our target and you still want one of the rewards, go for it! :)

An example of the £50 reward animal enrichment "voodoo doll" (see rewards section to the right):

Get £10 reward

Get £20 reward

Receive a 8x10" print of one of our animals (your choice). Your name will go on our supporters board and you'll receive a digital pack of PC/mobile wallpapers too.

15 backers so far

Estimated delivery: August 2015

Get £30 reward

Name one of our chickens! We have 11 unnamed hens on the farm that need a name! You will also receive a digital pack of Island Project backgrounds, plus your name on our supporters board at the farm.

5 backers so far

Get £50 reward

Our students will make a small voodoo doll of you, lace it with treats and hand it over to our hungry goats, donkeys, llamas or pig! We'll film it and send you the link. An example of some dolls we made are here (these are rough and ready but we're expecting to make something a little more polished for your dolls): http://tinyurl.com/p8txhjs

Get £100 reward

Our students will make a **life-size** voodoo doll of you, lace it with treats and hand it over to our hungry goats, llamas, donkey or pig! We'll film it and send you the link so you can share it with your friends. You'll also receive a digital pack of Island Project backgrounds, plus your name on our supporter's board.

3 backers so far

Get £200 reward

Name one of our field shelters! You could name it after yourself, your business (if you're donating as a business), or call it something funny to make our students smile. We'll make a plaque and display it on the front of the shelter. You'll also receive a digital pack of Island Project backgrounds, plus your name on our supporter's board.

2 backers so far

Get £300 reward

Visit the farm to see the work we do! (Must be on weekend or non-term time) We'll also make you a large animal-treat doll of yourself (or someone else if you prefer) for either of our larger animals to rip apart - it'll be funny, we promse. :) We'll also pop your name on our supporters board.